Spartacus Breaking His Chains This nineteen century sixteen inch sculpture was created by Denis Foyatier. The sculpture is of Spartacus, a man who served as a leader in a revolt

The brooding stance and overall shape of Spartacus gives the sculpture the appearance of exuding energy; the use of curves and lines gives Spartacus a distinct structure and aids in achieving a greater degree of realism. Curvature in the upper body is represented by the downward sloping arch visible across the shoulders and muscular arms. Another visible curve is the one in the opposite direction directly above the straight vertical line leading from the hips. His angled limbs lend interest to the objects in his clenched fists and the curvature of his muscles represents tenseness in his body. The tenseness of his muscles is a clear suggestion that Spartacus was about to or already performed some sort of movement. There is also a dominant “s” like shape runs through the body beginning from above the knees and continues until the neck, this “s” like curvature provides the figure with a sense of autonomous life.

         The rough contrasting texture Foyatier uses makes Spartacus much more realistic and proves to be very effective. His use of highly stylized polish contrasts the shades of the arms and legs. He uses a lighter shade of polish around Spartacus’s muscles; these highly polished areas provide sheen and highlight strength and power. The use of different shades of polish is imperative to the sculpture because it allows his spectators to focus on the more central parts of Spartacus. The uneven curly texture in the hair also plays an important role; it adds a more realistic image to Spartacus’s identity. The use of the different textures generates liveliness and animates a sense of energy compressed within Spartacus’s quiet pose.

        Foyatier uses careful detail in his presentation. His details of Spartacus’s face are very effective as it creates a mood and sets an ideal atmosphere for the sculpture. One can detect Spartacus’s raging mood by the intense glare of his eyes, the enormous flare of his nostrils and the protrusion of his lips. The careful presentation of his face represents anger and frustration within Spartacus.  In his majestic stance he is caught in the midst of breaking his chains. Foyatier’s inclusion of a knife in his right hand and a chain in his left are crucial, as it reveals information about Spartacus’s imprisonment and even his freedom. He also presents this enraged warrior without any clothing to further illustrate masculinity and to reinforce the notion of raw power within this character.

        Foyatier with the use of many techniques succeeds in producing a vibrant and convincing figure. Foyatier’s techniques prove to be essential and very effective as they introduced energy which played a major role in contributing to the realism of Spartacus. The use of shape conveyed a sense of strength while his use of texture brought the statue to life. These techniques of sculpting not only helped me to gain a greater appreciation for art but assisted me in obtaining a true understanding of struggles of Rome.